Users may currently interact with applications using various kinds of computing devices. In many cases, different types of computing devices use different respective user interface (UI) modes. For example, a traditional personal computing device may allow a user to interact with applications via respective window instances provided on a desktop UI presentation. In contrast, a tablet-type computing device may allow a user to interact with applications via one or more tile instances that together extend over the entire surface of the device's UI presentation. The diversity of UI modes may introduce technical and user experience-related challenges, particularly with respect to the manner in which a user transitions among different UI modes.